The atmosphere was electric in the audience the numbered close to 10,000 enthusiastic architects from across America. Some among them wore T-shirts displaying her famous words, "When they go low, we go high."

Among her remarks, Michelle said: “In my other life before I was the first lady, I worked in economic development and in planning; so I got to learn how important of a role architects play in the lifeblood and of a city. [This conference] is a little full-circle for me.”